For How Long Can Mountain Gorillas Live in the Wild?

For How Long Can Mountain Gorillas Live in the wild?: It is estimated that a gorilla will live for 35 to 40 years in the wild. They can live up to 50 years in captivity. The Columbus Zoo and Aquarium’s oldest gorilla, a Western Gorilla “female,” passed away on January 17, 2017, at the age of 69.

However, gorillas are the closest relatives of humans, after chimps and baboons, as they share 98 percent of their DNA. With 98 percent of our DNA in common, mountain gorillas are intelligent animals and a critically endangered species.

The woods of Gabon, Nigeria, Angola, Cameroon, Equatorial Guinea, and the Democratic Republic of the Congo are among the locations where lowland gorillas can be found. On the other hand, Africa’s mountain ranges’ tropical rain forests are home to the enormous mountain gorillas. The Democratic Republic of the Congo, Rwanda, and Uganda are home to mountain gorillas.

These two species have different habitats, hair hues, and hair lengths. The way that gorillas tend to their senior members is similar to that of humans. The World Wildlife Fund claims that gorillas exhibit obvious signs of aging. The average mountain gorilla lives 35 to 40 years, and they often have arthritis, which ruins their hands, feet, and bones.

Zoo gorillas can live up to 50 years, which is longer than that of mountain gorillas. Additionally, tooth loss could be a sign of an eating disorder. This is a result of gorillas taking longer to eat than other family members, which shortens their lifespan and ultimately leads to their untimely death.

The average lifespan of a mountain gorilla is 35 to 40 years. Older gorillas develop arthritis as a result of the aging process, which mostly breaks down the bones in their hands and feet.

Another issue that older gorillas deal with is periodontitis-related tooth loss, which makes eating challenging. Experience gorilla trekking because older gorillas enjoy traveling more than younger ones.

Rwanda‘s Volcanoes National Park and Virunga National Park, Uganda‘s Bwindi Impenetrable Forest National Park and Mgahinga Gorilla National Park, and the Democratic Republic of the Congo’s Kahuzi Biega National Park are all home to mountain gorillas.

Interesting Mountain Gorilla Facts

Mountain gorillas are led by silverbacks and can travel in groups of up to 40. A fully grown male gorilla can reach a weight of 200 kg and reach a height of 6 feet on two legs. After a gestation period of around eight and a half months, female mountain gorillas usually give birth between the ages of four and six.

Male gorillas become sexually active at the age of fifteen, while females can reach sexual maturity at ten. Throughout their lives, female gorillas can give birth to two to six children and eventually start mating.

During the day, mountain gorillas eat insects, small animals, leaves, stems, fruits, and bamboo shoots. They cannot survive outside of their natural habitats. Older mountain gorillas are known as “silverbacks” because they often develop white fur on their backs.

In Uganda, mountain gorillas can be found in the south-western regions of Bwindi Impenetrable National Park and Mgahinga Gorilla National Park, which are about nine to ten hours’ drive from Kampala to the main safari destination.

In contrast, Uganda Gorilla Trekking Safaris are held in Mgahinga Gorilla National Park, which is home to two gorilla families, and Bwindi Impenetrable Forest National Park, which is home to over 21 habituated gorilla families. Buhoma, Nkuringo, Rushaga, and Rushaga sector are the four gorilla trekking sectors that Bwindi offers so that tourists can experience gorilla trekking.

Tourists must obtain permission in advance to visit the mountain gorillas. The cost of a permit is USD 400 in Congo, USD 1500 in Rwanda, and USD 700 per hiker in Uganda. To avoid disappointment, it is preferable to plan your permit in advance, particularly during the busiest times of the year, which are June through September and December through February.

In Uganda‘s Bwindi Impenetrable National Park, gorilla trekking is an exciting one-hour adventure. Alternatively, you can opt for a four-hour gorilla habituation excursion in the Rushaga sector of the park, where you will be accompanied by scientists, park rangers, and researchers who specialize in gorilla conservation.

From Kigali in Rwanda, tourists can also go gorilla trekking in Uganda. For those who can afford to go gorilla trekking in Volcanoes National Park, this is the finest choice. Take a PCR test at least two days prior to your Rwandan or Ugandan gorilla trekking trip.